Method of protecting wooden piles



Jan. 8, 1935. Q'MEEM 1,987,073

METHOD OF PROTECTING WOODEN FILES Filed March 1, 1933 75315715.752. "ii-Balk? 7 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 8, 1935 UNIT-ED ST- 11 I This invention relates to pile structures and has for its-general objects the provision of new and improved piles particularly adapted for sub- I aqueous use, and to novel methods andapparatus '5 for forming and'producing such piles,

its upper portion is removed and the superstruc- The improvements embodying the. preferred form and method were particularly designed for protecting, stabilizing and reinforcing piles for foundations in sub-aqueous soils, ,The features of the invention are adaptable forgeneral application in pile structures. In producing pile foundations in sub-aqueous soils it not infrequently happens that in order to obtain a firm bearing, comparatively lengthy piles have to be driven. When it is practicable and desirable". to employ piles made of wood for this purpose, they can be obtained and driven at much less expensethan piles of other types. In the case of such wooden piles there is no danger of deterioration for those portions that are in the sub aqueous soil. However, if any portions of such wooden-piles are exposed above the water, whether constantly or intermittently, the piles will in the course of time deteriorate and rot; while, for those portions above the ground butnot above the water, there is liability ofattack and destruction from marine borers and other causes. 1 l

The present invention relates to means and methods for'protecting, strengthening and stabilizingexposed'portions or areas of such' piles. There is the further advantage that by the employment of the invention the bearing value of the pile will be considerably enhanced and also its resistance to the thrust of current, and the chock of ice or heavy floating debris.

' In carrying out the invention, a reinforcingenvelope of cementitious material such as concrete or the like is formed or placed about the exposed area of the pile by a novel method that is comparatively simple and inexpensive. Substantially theonly apparatus required is a hollow metallic element or collar structure which is suitably placed orset around the wood pile, preferably after it has been driven into the soil to a firm bearing. This collar structure constitutes a'mold or form for the concrete which is poured-into it in a fairly soft condition. Preferably a metallic frame or reinforcement is applied to the exposed portion of the pile prior to the pouring operation. After such operation the concrete envelope is compacted, the projecting portion of the pile cut off, vertical reinforcing bars to engage the superstructure-are applied; and finally,-after the concrete has sufficiently set, the collar structure or ture which the piling is intended to support is completed as required. method results in the production of a pile structure whichfulfills cheaply and eificiently the requirements, and obviates the defects above pointed out.

The invention willbe described in detail in con nection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary central vertical sectional view'of the pilestructure and apparatus for producing the same in accordance with my invene ton;

indicated by the section line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3is a view corresponding generally to Fig. 1 and illustrating a modified pile structure and apparatus;

Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive illustrate successive stepsin the novel method of carrying out the invention to produce the pile structure illustrated in Figs. .1-2; Fig. 9 illustrates a modification of. the method. In carrying out the invention, a wooden pile -10 of suitable length is set up and driven to proper penetration and resistance in the sub-aqueous soil indicated at S. Asteam or air pile driver or hamvmer P or other suitable means is employed for driving the piles. It will be understood that the illustrated pilelO is one of a set or series. The pile thus driven extends for some distance above the surface of the water W as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The next step comprises the setting-up; of the apparatus or metallicmold. As best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 this apparatus or device is a metallic shell or collar, element comprising preferably two parts or members 11 and 12. The main orupper collar member 11 preferably has a truncated conical shape with its smaller end upward. The collar member may be made of sheet steel'or other suitable material, and is preferably unitary or one piece; It may be strengthened by longitudinally disposed spaced angle bars or re inforcing ribs 13. The lowercollar member or base 12 is in the form of a metallic cylinder or annulus of a diameter slightly less than the lower end ,ofthe member 11 and is inserted in the bottom portion of said. member 11. The members 11 and 12 are detachably secured together'an d this may be accomplished in any desired manner as by-a driving fit, or, if found necessary, wedgesl l may be .employed for the purpose, these being driven sufiiciently tight-to hold the base 12 in place, but also readily to admit of detachment and withdrawal of the main part or section 11 when required. The collar element ordinarily should be from two to three feet in diameter or from one to two feet more than that of the wooden pile itself. The length of the collar element should be sufiicient to reach from some two to five feet below the soil to above the level of the water. 5

The collar element or devices 11, 12 is greased on its interior and is then setup around the pile as illustrated in Fig. 5. It should betamped down to a substantially firm seat, this being readily accomplished by the workman if the uppepPortion of the soil, as is ordinarily the case, is sufficiently yielding. Otherwise it maybe found PATENT l Fig. 2 is a cross sectional View takenon a plane to. These reinforcing devices'inay be as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 6-8, in the form or a cylindrical metal cage constituted by a series of metalrings v spaced apart and connected bylight vertical rods or heavy wires 16. The reinforcing cage 15 16 is supported from the pile 10 by spikes 1'7 driven into the pile, the top ring 15 resting on the spikes. I

Next, concrete indicated'atlti, inTairlYsdft condition is poured into the collar element around 1.

the pile, 10, the top portion of which as illustrated extends upward well-above the top of the collar element; The pile driver P is then set on the pile and operated sufficiently to settle and compact the concrete, particularly at its bearing area. This compacting operation may further drive the pile -10 to a slight extent. The compacting operation tends to settle the 'conc'rete, particularly at itslower portion, driving out or downwardand compacting the moist soil at the bottom. At the completion of the packing operation the concrete envelope 18 has been thoroughly settled and seated within the mold -member or formation 11, 12 from a point well down in the collar section 12 to the top 'of the main Sec-e tion 11 as illustrated inFig. 6.

As the next step, the projecting upper portion ofthe pile 10 is cut off about level with the top of the collar element as illustrated in '7', and vertically disposed reinforcing bars 19 are driven into' the concrete envelope and left sticking up some two feet or as required. The functionof these bars is to engage the subsequently er'ected superstructure and tie it to the pile on which it is to be in part supported. r l After the concrete envelope has suflieiently set, usually the next day, the upper collar section ll is withdrawn, leaving the collar section 12 emplaced. The pile and its associate piles constituting the set whenthus erected are in condition to receive and be connected to and support the superstructure'which is conventionally indicated in Fig. 8. i The sections 11, after having been withdrawn, may of course be used in subsequent operations. The base 12 which is left in place, functionsto support the concrete collar or envelope 18, and is helpful in preventing disintegration of its lower end portion, but under some conditions it may not be necessary or desirable to employ a base portion to be left in and remain pa'rt'of the primary pile structure.

Further modifications may be -resortedto I withinthe scope of the invention. Fonexample,

as illustrated in Fig. 3 the mold element of the first describedconstruction may bere'placed by amold element comprising a two-partcylindrical main section, the parts or halves 2 0 whereof'may be hanged at their ends to receive bolts. As shown, these flanges are constituted by angle. bars 21, the outstanding fianges whereof are formed The first described construction has certain vantages, as owin to its tapering shape-it may be readily withdrawn upward after the completion of the concrete envelope, and may be made in one piece; whereas the two-part cylindrical construction of Fig. 3 requires to be unbolted beneath Water by women in otder to permit separation of the'parts and ready withdrawaL; However, under some conditions the twopart cylindrical construction of Fig. 3 may be preferable.

A modification of the method is illustrated in Fig.1! wherein the collar element, which as therein shown is of the Fig. 3 construction, is seated cementitious material, as concrete; surrounding and protecting the upper portion or I the' piile proper and-secured in fixed relationship thereto, the cementitious material being preferably reinforced and the pile structure as awhole being stabilized and protected; that the pile structure is produced by means of an apparatus or'device comprising a hollow metallic form or mold, said mold or form being preferably in two parts, an upper main part and a lower base part, the main part being removable after the envelope has been formed so that it lmay berepeatedly used in the formation of cementit'ious envelopes; and that the pile structure formed by aniniproved method comprising preferably driving the pile proper, then emplacing .the metallic mold which extends from a oint-below the top of the sub-aqueous soil to a point above the water, then introducing the. concrete, packing or compacting it, andwithdrawing the mold after the concrete has set. Other intermediate steps include the leveling of the top of the wooden pile even -with the top of the envelope, and inserting connecting devices for. connecting the pilesor series {of piles with the superstructure to be supported thereon.

Various other changes within the scope of the invention, besides those above described, will B118.- gest themselves to thoseskilled'in the art.

- 'I-claim: v

' in place before thewooden pile is driven, instead 7 1. The method of protectingthe water-eicposed portion of a wooden'xpile which comprises first driving the wooden pile to properv penetration in subaqueous soil, next'dropping overthe pilefa unitary hollow mold, nextdriving the mold-tea shallow penetration in the subaqueoussoil, next placing reinforced concrete intheuund-ewatered space around the pile and inside the mold, and finally "after the concrete has-set, sliding veratical-ly. upward and completely withdrawing the mold as :driven.

2. The method of protecting the upper portion of-a wooden pile which comprises first driving the wooden gpile to required penetration in subaqueous soil, next dropping over the ;pile -ho1. low form parts one above the, other, driving the lower form part to slightly under fullpenetration in the subaqueous soiLthen concreting the ,space around the pile inside the form tOPI'OVidG B 'SGaI and connection between the tOP'Of thje lower formpart and the concrete above it, and thenwithdrawing the upper portion of the form vertically over the pile from around the hardened cone crete, leavingthe lower form portion and the concrete'contained therein seated where driven. 

